TPG Companies Leadership
Paul J. Kirpes, CFRE, President & CEO
Patricia L. Grote, Director, Corporate Marketing and Agriculture Consulting
Richard Rowe, Training and Instructional Design Director
Paul J. Kirpes, CFRE, President & CEO
Not only is Paul the President and CEO, he is keeper of the company’s philosophical flame. Paul is known as a Social Entrepreneur and seeks out opportunities to create systemic and sustainable solutions.
Paul founded the company in 1976. He brings more than 30 years of small business, community and regional development, coalition building, ecology and organization development experience to clients. Clients benefit from his strategic creativity and his uncanny ability to engage leaders, funders, and other stakeholders in formulating their common vision and in determining strategy and plans that achieve their goals.
Kirpes’ diverse professional experience and expertise includes fund-raising, sales and marketing, management consulting, business planning and development, writing, ecology and natural resource management, agriculture, information technology, and project management. Kirpes has raised more than $175 million and trained and counseled others to raise an additional $750 million. Kirpes has guided businesses, government, and non-government organizations (NGOs) through a wide range of planning and management needs including start-up, strategic planning, business development, program expansion, revitalization, turnaround initiatives and technology enhancement.
Paul is a certified fund-raising executive (CFRE). He is an adept motivator and enjoys writing and speaking to local, regional, national, and international groups. He earned honors and distinction in double degrees from Iowa State University: B.S. in Animal Ecology, emphasis in Journalism and B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Environmental Studies.
Patricia L. Grote
Director, Corporate Marketing and Agriculture Consulting
Pat grew up as a city girl and a farmer's granddaughter who could see acres of corn from her back yard. Today, she leads TPG's corporate marketing, as well as work with ag-related clients.She has experience in such such diverse sectors as agriculture, health care, faith-based, social services, financial, consumer, and business-to-business. She brings practical experience of weaving together the strengths of charities and business to create a stronger organization.
Clients benefit from her ability to think strategically and keep objectives in sight. She thrives on delivering solutions with impact. Projects she has supervised have won local, regional and national recognition and, more importantly, were effective for her clients.
Pat has grounded her 20 years experience in public relations, marketing communications, and strategy and organization development with an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management. She also has a Bachelor of Journalism in Advertising from the University of Nebraska.
Richard Rowe
Training and Instructional Design Director
Richard serves as Training and Instruction Design Director for TPG Companies. He has more than 15 years of experience in the training world. He is a member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and the National Speakers Association (NSA). A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, Richard also achieved the military's Master Training Specialist designation, which is awarded to only the top 10 percent of the military's instructional staff. He holds undergraduate degrees in Technical Instruction and Business Administration and a Master's of Science in Management with an emphasis on adult learning.